What VPNs Can (and Can’t) Do
Venturing into the wilds of the modern web, many people now use a VPN or virtual private network. These software packages have been around for decades as ways to securely connect to private networks remotely, but the term is now more often used to refer to third-party VPN services that act as intermediaries between your devices and the Internet at large.
The idea behind VPNs is that they keep you and your data safe while you browse the web, while sacrificing speed (though the best VPNs will strive to minimize the impact on download and upload speeds). If you’re wondering what a VPN is, how these services work, and whether you should sign up for one, you’ll find answers to all these questions and more below.
Why use a VPN?
Using a VPN is beneficial in terms of security and privacy. VPNs create an encrypted tunnel between you and dedicated servers managed by the VPN company. Your traffic is then sent through this tunnel, and the VPN service you choose sends it to websites or other servers. Vehicles going in the other direction return in the same way.
This tunnel offers several protections. This means it’s much harder for people connected to the same Wi-Fi network as you at the local cafe or hotel you’re staying at to find out what you’re doing, which is why users often deploy VPNs when they’re traveling and connecting to numerous public Wi-Fi networks.
Connecting to a VPN also means that your traffic is hidden from your ISP or ISP. Your ISP can see that you’re connecting to the VPN, but that’s it – so your ISP or anyone at it can’t spy on you or keep logs. This also means that ISPs are more limited in what they can tell government agencies and law enforcement.
Another reason to use a VPN is to hide or spoof your location: websites can only see the location of the VPN server you use, but not your actual location. This means they can’t track your location as easily, and in the case of streaming services, they can serve different libraries of content depending on where your VPN server is located (although streaming services are now very good about VPNs, so this doesn’t always work).
How VPNs work and their limitations
The idea of an encrypted tunnel covers the basics of how a VPN works: you connect to a VPN server, and then it connects to the Internet for you. When the data is returned, it first goes to the VPN server and then to your device. VPN providers will tell you how many servers they have and in how many countries – each time you connect to a VPN, you can usually choose which server to connect to, or have one assigned automatically.
If you want to stay safe on public Wi-Fi, your best bet is to connect to a server in your country – it’ll be faster. If you want to pretend you’re in another country or don’t want websites and apps to know where you are, you can choose a server in a different location. Some VPNs allow you to duplicate servers for added security.
It’s also important to be aware of the limitations of a VPN. Beyond your location, they’re not going to stop many of the tracking technologies you’ll find online, like cookies—and of course, if you sign into your Amazon account, Amazon will know it’s you. VPNs do not offer anonymity masking.
Additionally, you are essentially transferring your trust from your ISP to your VPN provider: your ISP cannot see your traffic, but your VPN service potentially can. What’s more, VPNs have the same legal obligations as ISPs when it comes to providing data to government and law enforcement agencies. With this in mind, it’s important to choose a VPN you trust.
How to choose a VPN
As noted above, VPNs are legal and can see the traffic they forward for you. With this in mind, it’s important to look for a VPN with an independently verified “no logs” policy, meaning none of your data is permanently stored. This means that less information may be disclosed or given to authorities if they come knocking.
This is an important part of choosing a VPN, which is why VPN providers usually actively promote a no-logs policy. Read the policies of ExpressVPN and NordVPN , for example: you’ll see mention of independent auditors, automated data scrubbing technologies, and operations based in countries where data retention laws are less stringent (meaning VPNs are not legally required to keep records of their users).
There are many other criteria that you should use when choosing a VPN provider. As mentioned earlier, you can find out how many servers the provider offers and where they are located. You can also check the promised speeds, as well as how much you’ll have to pay and what else you’ll get (like dark web monitoring for data leaks or a built-in password manager).
Be sure to check how many devices you can connect to the VPN service at once, as this will vary – and some VPNs may not even have apps for every platform. You can also look at what you’ll get in terms of customer service and support if things go wrong. And don’t forget to also check out reviews from trusted tech publications .
How much do VPNs cost?
As with most digital subscription decisions, cost will likely be a big factor in your choice. Free VPNs are available, although they are usually stripped-down versions of paid packages with limits on the number of connections you can make and the speeds you’re going to get in terms of downloads and uploads.
Given how important VPNs are in terms of trusting them with your data, it’s a good idea to avoid free ones if possible—at least if it’s unclear how they make money. There are reliable free VPN packages and we’ve listed a few here , but make sure you choose a reputable name with a long history.
If you can pay for a VPN, make sure you weigh everything you get with your subscription: the number of servers available, the number of compatible devices, the length of the deal you have to sign up for, the customer support offered, the bonus software included. Comparing prices is difficult because each VPN provider offers different packages for your money.
While subscription levels and prices are constantly changing—look out for introductory offers if you’re just signing up—here are a few deals available at the time of writing to give you a general idea: ExpressVPN – $12.95 per month , NordVPN – $12.99 per month , ProtonVPN – $9.99 per month , and TunnelBear – $9.99 per month . As usual, you can get a lower monthly price by subscribing for a year or two, and these services have different tiers with different features available.
Should you use a VPN?
There’s no doubt that using a VPN on your phone or laptop means your data will be more secure and private: the question is whether it’s worth paying for another subscription. This certainly gives you extra peace of mind if you’re on the go a lot and often switch between different public Wi-Fi networks. VPNs are definitely attractive for secure travel and accessing services from abroad.
There’s also the ISP issue: these big internet companies keep much more detailed records than most VPNs. If you prefer to have as little of your online activity logged as possible, then a VPN may be for you (though, again, this refers to activity logged by ISPs and not necessarily by advertising companies or websites).
You also have built-in protection for your location – your IP address – and the ability to spoof locations to some extent, which can be useful if you’re in a place with a heavily regulated internet or where your regular streaming services aren’t available. However, keep in mind that once you log into Google or Netflix, they will still know who you are and what country you live in.
VPN providers usually go out of their way to offer free trials or introductory offers, so there’s no harm in signing up for a package and seeing how it suits you – and how much you actually use it. You can even subscribe to a couple at the same time and compare them in terms of online connection speed and the quality of their apps.